Don't Ask
by Optiquest2000
Summary: Okay, I've seen this show like... if you added up all the bits of it I've seen like four episodes of it. So please don't blame me if it's ooc. My friend wanted me to write it.


It was New Years Eve and everyone, Yuuske, Keiko, Yukina, Kuwabara, Botan, Koenma, Kurama, and Hiei, was at Yuuske's house for the party. Kurama was standing in a corner watching the festivities and drinking champaign, he was the outcast. Everyone else had some one, Yuuske had Keiko, Kuwabara had Yukina, even binki boy had Botan. Every one had some one except him... Him and Hiei. He had been so blind all these years... Hiei had been there all a long.   
  
"Uh, Kurama," he thought,'How much have you had to drink? Thinking about Hiei like that! You're just fine by yourself, very un-gay!"  
  
Kurama continued to drink. The clock was nearing midnight and he had no one to kiss when it struck 12:00. He was such a loser. Then he saw Hiei standing alone by a window... And very alone. Kurama began to go over to where Hiei stood.  
  
Hiei looked up at him, confused. Then the clock struck 12:00 and Kurama leaned in to kiss Hiei. Hiei punched him,  
  
"What the hell do you think you are doing??" he cried as he jumped out the open window.  
  
"Hiei! What's wrong?" Kurama shouted after him. Kurama looked around, everyone was staring at him. "Hiei!" He cried and jumped out the window, or he would have had he been shorter and spryer like Hiei. Instead he hit his head against the window sill and tumbled to the ground.  
  
***************  
  
Kurama awoke in a hospital bed, there was no searing pain in his broken ribs, legs or wrist thanks to the wonders of morphine. There were chocolates and red roses on the tables by his bed. He looked at one of the cards, it was from everyone who was at the party, except Hiei.  
  
A nurse came into the room, "You have a visitor sir," she said. She left the room and Yuuske came into the room, followed by Keiko, Yukina, Kuwabara, Botan, and Koenma.  
  
He looked up at them, "Hey, guys," he said.  
  
"Hi yourself, Kurama. Dude, what happened last night?" Said Yuuske.  
  
"Yeah, how much did you have to drink anyway? I mean one tequila, two tequila, three tequila, floor!" Laughed Kuwabara.  
  
"What are you people talking about? All I remember from last night was having a couple of drinks... Then flying out a window. I mean, how did that happen?" said Kurama.  
  
"Wooh... well that's not all that happened, don't you remember trying to kiss Hiei? We didn't know your toast was buttered that way. Or I didn't anyway, did you guys and you just not want to tell me? I'm offended." Kuwabara wined.   
  
"No, I didn't know," said Botan, "But it shouldn't make any difference as to how we treat Kurama. We need to accept him no matter what, right guys?"  
  
"Hello, I'm right here, and I'm not gay!" butted in Kurama, "If this is supposed to be some kind of intervention or something you might as well leave, I'm not gay!"   
  
"No, this isn't an intervention, Kurama, we're only here to tell you that what you're feeling is almost normal. We want you to know that we're behind you 100%." Koenma said.  
  
"Uh thanks, I guess... But look, I'm not gay, okay? So can you all just leave, please?"  
  
"Fine, but just remember that when you go back into that cruel world it won't be as accepting as us," Koenma said.  
  
"Actually, never talk to me again, my therapist says I'm homophobic. It's probably bad for my health just being here... I only came to take my flowers back, I didn't realize they were for you," Yukina took her flowers back and left.  
  
"Well, the rest of us still accept you for who you are, Kurama," said Koenma, "Let's go guys." Then they left Kurama alone, finally.  
  
"I'M NOT GAY!!!!" Kurama shouted after them.  
  
After a while Kurama grew rather board of sitting in that sterile room all alone, no one to talk to, nothing to do. He almost wished that they would come back, almost... if they would stop calling him gay, he definitely wasn't. Luckily the nurse soon came back into his room to turn his morphine up,  
  
"Oh, just a reminder, you'll need to make sure that you have someone to stay with when you leave here tomorrow, all that morphine we've been giving you isn't without it's effects. Just let us know the name of a family member or friend so we can give them a call and tell them when to pick you up," said the nurse, "Oh! I almost forgot, you have another visitor," she added  
  
"I have to stay with someone," thought Kurama, "but I don't have any friends or family... Crap."  
  
Just then the door opened, and of all people, Yukina came in.  
  
"I forgot my card," she said, "Oh yeah, Hiei's coming in." She grabbed her card and stormed through the door. Then Hiei came in, he looked uh... especially... dark today.  
  
"Oh, hello, Hiei, you look especially dark today," Kurama greeted him.  
  
"Cut the crap, pink suit boy. I'm only here to set a few things straight, I'm not gay, I don't know what possessed you to try and kiss me at the party but it was just sick, man, I don't play on your team... You know, the gay one," he said.   
  
"Uh, okay. I'm not gay, I just have a terrible hangover... Or I think so any way, they've got me on a lot of morphine," then Kurama remembered he had to stay with someone, " Uh... Speaking of morphine, would it be okay if I came and stayed with you for a while? In a non-gay way."   
  
"Hello, Mr. Gay, is anyone up stairs? I just told you, I'm not gay, I think you're totally sick!"  
  
"I'm not gay!!!!!! I Just have to stay with someone because of all the morphine."  
  
"Then why don't you stay with your girl friend?"  
  
"I, eh... Don't have one."  
  
"And you're telling me you're not gay?"  
  
"Hey, you don't have a girl friend either!"  
  
"How would you know? Look we're not even friends, what makes you think I would let you stay with me?"  
  
"Nothing, it's just that anyone else I can think of thinks I'm gay."  
  
"And you think I don't??"  
  
"Well, no... Only, you're not trying to be nice and accepting about it. At least you're being honest."  
  
"Listen, I kind of already have someone staying with me right now... otherwise, I would maybe start to think about letting you stay for a little bit..."  
  
"What? Who?"  
  
"Uh... I can't say. You're a bit of a blabber mouth."  
  
"I can keep a secret. Honestly. Besides, you should be nice to me for not letting me stay with you."  
  
"Uh... okay. Don't tell anyone. Seriously! Okay, Keiko... Keiko's been staying at my place for a while..."  
  
"Keiko!"  
  
"Shut up! Not so loud, you want the whole hospital to hear??"  
  
"But, I thought that Keiko was going out with Yuuske... What's going on here?"  
  
"Well... What the hell makes you think I'll tell you! You're lucky I even told you that... What with the morphine and all, who knows who you'll tell. Here, I'll make you a deal. You can come stay with me, but you can't leave the house, I don't want you to talk to anyone... I don't know who you will slip this information to. I have to be careful you know."  
  
"What's the big deal? If you and Keiko want to go out then why doesn't she just break up with Yuuske? Why the conspiracy?"  
  
"Do I pry into your personal life, asking you questions about your homosexuality? Keep your nose out of it, got it?"  
  
"... Sorry."  
  
"Okay, I'll come pick you up some time tomorrow... I have to find you a place to sleep... Thank's for all the trouble you're putting me through, I really appreciate it," Hiei said. And with that he left.  
  
Kurama couldn't help but wonder what was going on between Keiko and Hiei, but soon the nurse came in to pump up his morphine again. After that he couldn't think about anything but all the pretty colors.  
  
**************  
  
Hiei didn't know why he was doing this. It was completely un-like him. Honestly, he couldn't think of the last time he'd done something nice for anyone. He had had to try and make this seem like it had been of some benefit to him, when honestly he didn't think that Kurama would tell anyone his secret, he wasn't the type. That's why, Hiei guessed, he could tolerate Kurama so easily... He actually kind of liked Kurama when it came right down to it, he wasn't like the others, he was more intellectual and far deeper(with the exception of when he was drunk or on morphine).  
  
That's why he was willing to let Kurama stay at his place, he liked Kurama...in a non-gay sort of way. Hiei knew that deep down he was capable of being kind to people, like he was being nice to Kurama by letting him stay with him. Deep down Hiei was a nice person... maybe.  
  
  
  
***************  
  
The next afternoon Hiei came by to pick up Kurama, as promised. Kurama was situated in one of those automatic wheel chair deelys so he wouldn't have to use his broken wrist. Instead of having to wheel it physically, all you had to do was push a button... It was for lazy people. This bothered Kurama, being in a wheel chair and all, it wasn't his why, he was used to doing whatever he wanted, like walking.  
  
Hiei had brought his sleek black sports car to take Kurama in, Kurama had to be lifted into the seat then have his wheel chair folded into the back of the car, as the nurse showed Hiei how to do all this he looked rather pissed. Of course Kurama felt bad about being suck a burden, but if it was this hard for other people to care for him, he couldn't even begin to imagine caring for himself.  
  
"Uh, Hiei," Kurama ventured during the ride to Hiei's house,"I'm really sorry for being such a burden to you, I haven't ever meant to be troublesome to anyone, yet I... I just wanted to thank you for...everything." Kurama didn't know what to say, he felt rather foolish.  
  
"Can't you see that I'm trying to drive here?? Don't disturb me!"  
  
"I was only thanking you for-"  
  
"Are you deaf or some how mentally ill? I said not to talk to me!"  
  
The rest of the ride home was silent, Kurama didn't even venture a look in Hiei's direction, people usually didn't snap at him like that, only Hiei. Though it didn't usually bother him very much. He was just thankful that Hiei let him stay at his house, deep, deep down Hiei wasn't so-  
  
"And this is where you'll be staying," Hiei said bringing Kurama out of his daze, Kurama hadn't realized that they had already gotten to Hiei's house.  
  
"Are you paying attention to me at all??" Hiei demanded.   
  
"Uh, yeah... This is where you'll be staying... Uh, I'll be staying." Kurama recited looking at a closet... closet?, "Wait, you expect me to stay in here?? This is a-a closet! I can't live in a closet!"  
  
"You can and you will. That is unless you would rather find someone else as generous as I." Hiei said with an all so holy attitude.  
  
"You expect me to live in a closet... couldn't I sleep on the couch or something?"  
  
"No, I don't want anyone to know you're here. Just imagine what it would do to my reputation, taking in the gay guy. Look, I even put a mattress in there for you, this isn't that small when you think about it, you can come out when no one's in the house and do whatever, as long as it's not anything gay."  
  
"Uh, thanks... I guess."  
  
"You're welcome, well I have to go out for a while, stay in your closet while I'm away unless... Well, unless... everyone's gone."  
  
"You mean I can come out when Keiko leaves?"  
  
"When everyone's gone. Now go in there, I have some things to attend to." Hiei went into his room for a few moments and Kurama went into his closet.   
  
It wasn't that bad actually, it was more of a walk in closet than a coat closet although you could surely put coats in there, Kurama thought. There was really nothing to do in Kurama's closet home and he longed for some form of entertainment.   
  
After a while Kurama heard Hiei leave,  
  
"I don't actually think that Kieko will be out there right now... I can probably go out there and get some water and word jumbles or something..." Kurama thought to himself.  
  
Slowly Kurama opened the door a crack, he looked out into the hallway, he didn't see anyone there, so he crept out into the hallway. He had never been in Hiei's house before, it looked nice. Kurama went down the hallway until he came to the main room, suddenly he stopped.  
  
Kieko was sitting at the table drinking a cup of tea and filling in a cross-word puzzle. She was wearing one of Hiei's shirts, black of course, and a pair of short-shorts. Kurama had never seen Kieko like this before, she actually was an incredibly attractive girl. He kept watching her for some time, he didn't see any reason to go back to his closet just yet.  
  
Suddenly, as if she sensed him watching her Kieko spun around and stared at him in shock. Just as Kurama was thinking of fleeing into his closet she spoke to him,  
  
"You, why are you here... I'm only here visiting... I just, everything was an... Please don't tell Yuuske I'm... I had to come here for a... Why are you here??" She fumbled the words around until she reached her demand.  
  
"I'm..."  
  
"Who let you in? Certainly not Hiei... he wouldn't have... Why?"  
  
"Well, you see, after I fell out the window I sort of broke some bones so they gave me this medicine, apart from the morphine, but anyway I can't exactly take care of myself so when Hiei came to see me I asked if I could stay with him, he took some convincing but he finally agreed," Kurama explained.  
  
"Uh, oh me-me too."  
  
"Uh... well, I should probably go back to my closet now incase Hiei comes back..."  
  
"Don't worry he wont be back until late, he's always gone all day."  
  
"Where does he go for so long?"  
  
"I dunno, I prefer not to ask."  
  
"Oh, I see. Why are you really here, uh why is Hiei letting you stay here, I mean I thought that he had issues, you know, mentally."  
  
"Hey! All because you don't want to get to know him it doesn't mean he is mentally challenged."  
  
"It's not at all that I don't want to get to know him, he doesn't want to know anybody."  
  
"Why is Hiei letting you stay here?" Kieko prodded.  
  
"Because, mostly, I think, because he told me that..." Kurama trailed off, he wasn't so sure that he should tell Kieko that Hiei had told him she was there. Then again, what would she say, 'Oh no! Hiei told I'm here, oh, curse him!' no, he didn't care if Kieko said that, "Hiei told me that you were staying here and didn't want me to tell anyone... Now that I think of it that doesn't really make sense... he knows that I wouldn't tell anyone anyway, he knows that I'm not that kind of person."  
  
"No, it doesn't make sense that Hiei would tell you that I was staying here! He said he wouldn't tell anyone... Hiei..." crap, she looked angry.  
  
"I'm sure he didn't mean to, it must have just slipped somehow, I'm sure he wasn't on purpose, Hiei is a really nice person, deep, deep, deep.... oh forget it."  
  
"No, it's not your fault, I'm not really angry, just promise you wont mention this to anyone, please?"  
  
"Of course not. Why would I tell anyone, eh?"  
  
"I dunno," she winked at him, what did that mean? "I never thought that you were the type to say things like that, spreading gossip and all. Anyway, now that you're here and I'm here... I might as well tell you why I am here, so you wont get the wrong idea."  
  
"Okay, you want to tell me, because Hiei sure didn't want to."  
  
"Yeah? Funny how Hiei didn't seem to have trouble telling you that I was here. Okay, anyway I kinda lost my job and I couldn't pay my rent. My landlord kicked me out of my apartment because I couldn't find a new job, so I didn't have anywhere to go after that except for Yuuske's house, but that place creeps me out.  
  
Actually, when I did ask Yuuske if I could stay with him for a while, he said he didn't think our relationship was ready for that. What the hell?? We've been going out for years! And he says we aren't ready for that? Well, I wouldn't want to be at his place anyway, he lives with his mother."  
  
"So how did that lead to you staying here?"  
  
"Let me finish. Hiei overheard a conversation between me and Botan about my situation and offered to let me stay at his place."  
  
"Why? Hiei is not that nice, was he on drugs or something?"  
  
"Probably, but he hasn't kicked me out since... Really though, He is very kind."  
  
"So why don't you want Yuuske to know? Is there something else going on between you and Hiei?"  
  
Keiko blushed, "um.... well..."  
  
"Keiko, I'm sure that you don't want my advice or anything, but don't you think that this is all a bit unfair to Yuuske? I mean if you want to move on just tell him."  
  
"I never said that I wanted to move on, I just think that Yuuske would have a cow if he knew that I was staying at another guys house, even if there was nothing going on."  
  
"Hmmm... I guess so, but couldn't you just explain it all to him?"  
  
"Uh, incase you haven't noticed Yuuske's kinda stupid, he'd probably be all like, 'well why didn't you get a new job?' or something."  
  
"Really? I don't think that he would be very angry at you just for staying with Hiei, besides you asked Yuuske first if you could stay with him and he turned you down. I don't think he has any room to get angry at you, you haven't done anything wrong."  
  
"Well, maybe, but... see... Well, I guess he wouldn't get very angry. If I hadn't uh..."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Well, see I think Hiei kinda likes me now... and well, he's so much deeper than Yuuske."  
  
"So you do want to move on now?"  
  
"I don't know, I don't think so... Hiei's not really my type. Plus I don't think that he really digs me that much..."  
  
"Oh," Kurama was beginning to understand what was going on here, "Well, that's okay. Just stick with Yuuske."  
  
"That was my plan."  
  
"Uh," Kurama really didn't have anything else to talk about and this conversation had defiantly died, it seemed to him that everyone was getting worked up over nothing. "Well, I'd better go... you know, back to the closet."  
  
"Why? Hiei wont be home-" She was cut off by the sound of a car pulling into the driveway, "Maybe you should go back to the closet," she said.  
  
Kurama hurried as fast as his wheel chair could carry him back to the closet and closed the door.  
  
***************  
  
"Hiei!" announced Keiko, "I thought that you wouldn't be home for a while, what's up?"  
  
"Why? Where did you think I was going? I just went to pick up a few things and wash the car" Hiei put some bags on the counter and then sat down at the table next to Keiko.  
  
"Oh, well usually you're gone all day," Keiko said leaning back in her chair.  
  
"Not today, I just had to get some things. So, what have you been up to?" he asked glancing at her cross-word puzzle.  
  
"Eh, just relaxing mostly. Although I did call about some job in the paper, nothing interesting."  
  
"Yeah, well, I'm gonna crash out, I didn't sleep last night," Hiei said heading off towards his room.  
  
"You didn't? Where were you? I didn't even-" Hiei slammed his door. Keiko finished her drink and threw the cross-word in the trash. Then she looked at the clock, it was already one o' clock and she hadn't even showered, ugh.   
  
Keiko went to the bedroom and opened the door a crack. The light was off and Hiei was sprawled out on the bed. Keiko crept to the edge of the room and dug through a pile of clothes smelling the occasional one to see what was clean until she found something to wear. She started back to the door but couldn't see in the dark. She hit her foot against something and fell over on to the bed,  
  
"Ouch!" she stifled a painful cry and rolled over on the mattress. She lay there cradling her injured foot momentarily, then she noticed Hiei looking directly at her-crap, she had woken him up.  
  
"What are you doing?" Hiei asked... angrily.  
  
"Uh, I was just going. I came in to get my clothes so I could take a shower and have something to-"  
  
"I didn't ask for your life story," Hiei said teasingly, then he laughed. Keiko couldn't see what was so funny as she lay there on the bed in pain.   
  
Hiei rolled over closer to her, it was a huge bed, and looked at her. Keiko stared back at him, in the dark she couldn't see very well, but she could see his eyes. She felt tense, what was he doing, shouldn't he be yelling at her for something right now? So Keiko just lay there staring at him.  
  
Then all of a sudden, as though they had both known the moment that the other had meant it, they kissed. Keiko felt strange, she knew that this wasn't right, she was with Yuuske, but she didn't stop. And neither did Hiei, he put his hands on the back of her head and pulled her in closer to him. Then out of the other end of the house there came a rather girly squeal that made Kieko jump up from Hiei,  
  
"What was that?" she gasped.  
  
Hiei jumped out of bed and turned on the light, "I'm not entirely sure..."  
  
Kieko got up and opened the door a crack, then she recognized whose scream it had been, Kurama. But what was he so frightened about?  
  
"I'd better go check it out," said Hiei leaving the room.  
  
"I'll come with you," Kieko said and followed him out into the hallway.  
  
Hiei seemed to guess that the cry had been Kurama's too, because he went directly to the closet that Kurama was staying in. He opened the door cautiously, the little light hanging from the ceiling was on and Kurama was cowered into the corner.  
  
"What the hell happened here??" Hiei demanded  
  
Honestly, nothing, Kurama thought. He had just sensed something going on, something he couldn't explain. It hadn't frightened him, he just thought that by crying out he could stop it, whatever it was.  
  
"What's going on?" Hiei asked again, "Oh, Kieko, Kurama is staying in this closet for a while since the hospital kicked him out," he briefly explained to Kieko, as he didn't know that she already knew.  
  
Kurama felt so stupid, it seemed that all he had been feeling since that party was stupidity. What was he supposed to say, 'Oh, well I felt that something was amiss and if I shouted out it would make go away.' Well, as that was the best thing he could come up with he said it,  
  
"Well, I felt that something was amiss and if I shouted out it would make it go away," Kurama said. Oh, God, Kurama thought to himself, what was he doing. He was such an idiot, 'yes, something was a bit odd feeling so a screamed', oh yes that would go over well.  
  
"Uh," Hiei looked pissed, "What kind of reason-"  
  
"Well, I think that's a perfectly fine reason to shout out," butted in Kieko.  
  
"Oh, Kieko, I'd almost forgotten you were there," Hiei glanced at Kieko. Then Kurama glanced at Kieko, her hair was all messed up and stuff... ugh. Kurama had been half hoping that nothing really was going on between Hiei and Kieko, but he now feared.   
  
"Well, uh, Hiei. I think that Kurama's explained himself perfectly well, and I have no problem with him staying here," she winked at Kurama, "So why don't we just leave him alone, and why don't you give him a decent place to sleep??" She glared at Hiei.  
  
"Uh, I guess he could sleep on the couch or something..." Hiei mumbled, then turning to Kieko, "Now why don't you take that shower, what time is it now, 2 p.m., you're starting to grow an odor."  
  
She giggled, "Yeah, I probably do smell," then she went off to the bathroom, and Hiei toward the kitchen.  
  
"I guess you can come out of the closet, you can sleep on the couch. Try not to eat my food though unless you're starving," he said, then he continued down the hall.  
  
  
  
That night Kurama was sleeping on the couch when Hiei came out into the room.   
  
"What are you doing on my couch?" asked Hiei, "Who gave you... Oh yeah... I did. Well, um... I'll just be going then," Hiei started towards the door.  
  
"Where?"  
  
"Where what?"  
  
"Where are you going at this hour?"  
  
"Where not? Night's the best time for clubbing. I would ask you to come with, but you can't exactly walk, actually, I don't think I would," Hiei left.  
  
Hmmm... what did Kieko see in him? Kurama thought. Eh, but then again, what did he care what happened with Hiei and Kieko anyway. Did he, did he really not care... He didn't entirely want them to be together.   
  
Later that night Kurama was woken up again by Hiei coming home.  
  
"You're still awake?" Hiei asked.  
  
"No, you woke me up," Kurama complained.  
  
"Well, get used to it, I go somewhere almost every night... Hey how long do you intend to stay here anyway?" Hiei sat down on Kurama's couch.  
  
"I, I don't know..." Kurama suddenly very uncomfortable with Hiei on the couch next to him. "I... don't know."  
  
"Oh, yeah," Hiei sat a moment in silence.   
  
"Well, you should probably get going now right?"  
  
"Eh, I dunno. Why not?" Hiei left the house and Kurama tried to get as comfortable as he could on the small couch.  
  
  
  
Some time later Kurama was awakened again by Hiei entering the front room. He rolled over and glared at Hiei, Hiei switched the light on momentarily blinding Kurama.  
  
"Argh, Hiei, do you intend to wake me up at all hours tomorrow, if so I'd like to go back to my closet," Kurama said as cruelly as he could without feeling ungrateful for Hiei's hospitality.  
  
Hiei paused a moment, then laughed, "You really suck at being rude to people, and no, I'm not out every night. Just when I get bored."  
  
"Well, have you ever tried sleeping at night?"  
  
"Of course, but that's not very entertaining. Clubbing is entertaining, clubbing and killing stuff."  
  
"Do you go fight stuff at night too?"  
  
"Nah, I do that during the day as there aren't many clubs open around then."  
  
"Are you just trying to sound cool in front of me or something? I've known you for a while now and I know that there's more to you than clubbing and killing," Kurama said kindly and oh-so-reassuring-like.  
  
"What do you mean? I have no need to impress you, Kurama," Hiei sat down again on Kurama's couch.   
  
"Oh yeah, then who do you try to impress?" Kurama said feeling a surge of awkwardness flow through his body again.  
  
"I don't try to impress anyone, people are pathetic, thus what they think of me has no meaning to me. In fact I would rather you all hated me than you accept me, I don't want to be one of you."  
  
"Now, that's a load of crap, Hiei. Not even you really feel that way," Kurama said. Sometimes he seriously worried about Hiei.  
  
"Whatever, beileive what you think, but I'm not trying to impress you," Hiei got up and started out of the room.  
  
At that moment Kurama had a sudden realization, "Hiei!" He called, "Hiei, turn off the freaking light, I'll go blind!"  
  
"Too bad, I'm sure you'll miss your sight," Hiei left the room.  
  
Argh, now Kurama had to get up and turn the light off himself, and that was hard considering he couldn't walk. He tried to situate himself into his wheel chair bur just as he was almost into it, it moved and fell over sideways. Great... Kurama dropped down onto the floor and tried to worm his way towards the light switch. This wasn't working, Kurama thought, eh, who cared if the light was on or not, he couldn't get over there. He just lay there on the carpet and tried to fall asleep.  
  
Hiei stood in the hall outside his bedroom door. He actually felt kind of bad about not turning the light off for Kurama, but he really wanted to see what he'd do. Eh, he didn't want to go back into his bedroom, Kieko was in there and since that morning...  
  
It had never been his intention to kiss Kieko, it had just... happened. Sure she was cute and all, but she wasn't really the type of girl Hiei was seriously interested in, although he was starting to get the impression that she was seriously interested in him. He felt bad for leading her on, and he couldn't even say why he had done it.  
  
Now as he stood there watching Kurama from a distance, he felt bad. He felt bad for everything. For the type of person he was, the way he treated Kurama... But then again, what the hell. The cruelty was all part of who Hiei was, he wasn't about to change who he was, was he?  
  
He did however go out into the main room and carry the sleeping Kurama to the couch and laid a blanket over him. After he turned off the light and was leaving the room, he heard Kurama speak to him,  
  
"Thank you, Hiei," Kurama said in a tired whisper.  
  
Hiei turned away and said nothing. He figured Kieko would be asleep by now, so he went into his room.  
  
When Hiei entered the room the light was off, Kieko must have gone to sleep, Hiei thought. Hiei was tired so he just took his shirt and pants off on his way to the bed and hopped in. Immediately Hiei sprung back up, Kieko was awake and looking at him... She was laying there seductively wrapped in the covers, and Hiei had an idea that that was all she had on.  
  
"What the hell?" Hiei demanded.  
  
"Don't you want me? Isn't this how you want it?" She asked, trying to make herself seem like an innocent little girl.  
  
"No! Put some clothes on dammit, and get out of my bed, you have a cot over there! Why the hell are you doing this?"  
  
Kieko began to cry, "I thought this was what you wanted," she sobbed.  
  
"Kieko, calm down," Hiei had grown kinder at her tears, "Just... Just put something on and, and go to sleep or... just get dressed and we'll talk in a minute. Here, I'll even leave the room while you get dressed." Hiei grabbed his pants and left the room. He needed a drink or something. He got dressed and went out into the main room where Kurama was.  
  
When Hiei went out into the room Kurama was not asleep. He was awake and staring intently,  
  
"I heard you yelling and then, I heard," Kurama was cut short by Hiei.  
  
"Yeah," Hiei had grown angry again, angry at Kieko for being so stupid, "Do you want to know what Kieko has just done??" Hiei said ready to explain.  
  
"Did it have something to do with her not wearing anything and being in your bed?" Kurama asked, then seeing Hiei's puzzled expression he added, "I could hear you yelling, I'm not physic."  
  
"Oh, well, what the hell do you think possessed her to do that??"  
  
"You know, Hiei, most men would have really enjoyed a half-naked girl laying in their bed."  
  
Hiei seemed to be slightly thrown off, "Really? Well, I didn't... Is it wrong for me to care... I'm just not attracted to her that way. I care about her, and I want her to be happy, but... How come I'm telling you this anyway?"  
  
"Well, actually, I don't know, because you like me?" Kurama ventured, "Because you think of me as your friend?"  
  
"I like you??" Hiei scoffed, "I think of you as my friend? Kurama, I don't have any friends and I don't like anybody."  
  
"That's not true. Everybody has to have friends, we're meant to be social."  
  
Hiei glared.  
  
"So, eh, so you don't feel attracted to Kieko?" Kurama ventured hoping not to anger Hiei.  
  
"...No," Hiei seemed embarrassed.  
  
Kurama felt a sudden wave of relief, why? "Oh, so are you attracted to anyone?" Kurama asked.  
  
Hiei paused, then he said, "...Uh... I, I don't know... I don't know if they care about me or just everybody..." Hiei seemed really awkward, "I'd better go and talk to Kieko," Hiei rushed off down the hallway.  
  
*****************  
  
Kieko had gotten dressed, and she was now sitting on Hiei's bed, sobbing slightly. She was so confused, she had thought that Hiei really wanted her...   
  
Then Hiei came into the room, she immediately pulled herself together and looked at him. Hiei turned on the light and sat down on the bed next to her, she pulled away slightly. Then Hiei spoke to her,  
  
"Look, I'm sorry. I don't entirely know what's going on but I'm sorry, because I'm sure It's my fault."  
  
"I thought you wanted it... I thought you were just too..." She trailed off.  
  
"Kieko, I'm sorry about this morning, but I didn't mean it, I didn't mean to kiss you."  
  
"Then why did you do it? You're just confusing me!"  
  
"I'm sorry, but I don't feel that way about you, I..."  
  
"You don't? But, ... but... Hiei, I thought you did."  
  
"I'm sorry... but, but I don't feel that way about you."  
  
"But," Kieko began, but suddenly a thought struck her mind. No, Hiei didn't love her at all, but he did love someone... Someone else in this house... Kieko was filled with red-hot rage. How could Hiei... How could Hiei be that way? "Hiei..."  
  
"Eh?"  
  
"Hiei... You want him... don't you?"  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"You love..." the words came with so much effort, her thought felt so dry, her eyes were burning with tears of rage. "Kurama..."  
  
Hiei sat silent for a moment, looking out but seeing nothing, then, "Kieko, you don't understand, you couldn't-"  
  
"No," Kieko cut him off, "I understand perfectly well. I give my love to you, and you return it by telling me you're gay? Oh, yes, Hiei, I understand," Kieko stood up and began shoving clothes into her bags.  
  
"Kieko, what are you doing?" Hiei asked.  
  
"I'm leaving," she said at the completion of her packing, "I can't be here anymore, for you see, Hiei, I love you and you have no love for me." Then she started towards the door.  
  
"Kieko, we can still be friends, I..."  
  
"No, Hiei, it doesn't work like that." Then she left.  
  
  
  
Kurama was watching the half-open door slowly singing in the early-morning breeze when Hiei entered the room.  
  
"What just happened here?" Kurama asked as Hiei came into the room.  
  
Hiei just stared at the open door in shock, "So, so she really did leave?" Hiei said, more of a statement than a question.  
  
"Yes, but why? What did you say to her?"  
  
"I don't think it's what I said to her, it's what she could sense... I only told her what she already knew."  
  
"What did you say?"  
  
"That I didn't love her, that I didn't care about her that way."  
  
"And that made her so upset, there must have been something else."  
  
"Well... I don't..."  
  
"What else did you say to her? That she was a slut? That she should go to hell?"  
  
"No, none of that, I think that it's what she told me that upset her so."  
  
"What did she tell you?"  
  
"That... That I don't love her... I love you..." Imediatly Hiei's cheeks went red and he put his head down and stared at his feet. Just as Hiei felt he could take no more of the embarrassment and was starting to get up and leave, Kurama spoke to him,  
  
"Hiei... I love you too..." Kurama suddenly felt that a burden had been lifted, he had told Hiei something that had been brewing inside him for too long.  
  
Hiei said nothing, but stood up and went down the hall.  
  
  
  
**************************  
  
Kieko grabbed her bags and paid the taxi driver for the ride. She stood in silence outside of Yuuske's house, wondering if she was doing the right thing...  
  
Then Yuuske saw her through the window, in a few seconds he was standing in his doorway,  
  
"Kieko, what are you doing here? What's with the bags and,"He was cut off. Kieko began to cry, she dropped her bags and flung herself into his arms.  
  
"Oh, Yuuske," she said, "It was terrible. He... He did such horrible things to me..."  
  
"Kieko? What's wrong? Who was doing things to you?" Yuuske awkwardly wrpped his arms around her, wondering.  
  
"Hiei! He let me stay with him... But then he... Oh, Yuuske, it was horrible!" Kieko cried.  
  
"Hiei... What did Hiei do to you? I'll kill him!"  
  
"Oh, Yuuske, he tried to rape me! I didn't know what to do, all I could think was to come here... You're the only person I can trust anymore..." Kieko had deliberatly lied. This was going exactly as planned, she wanted to get Yuuske enraged with Hiei... She wanted to punish Hiei for what he'd done to her.  
  
"Hiei raped you? Oh, he's dead!" Good... Yuuske was vengeful, perfect.  
  
"Oh, Yuuske, do you still love me? I feel so dirty..."  
  
"Kieko, I'll deal with Hiei... You go inside and take a bath and get some sleep. I'll be back soon and we'll talk..."  
  
"Thank you Yuuske. I always knew I could trust you... I love you so much..."  
  
"Just go and relax, I'll take care of everything, trust me."  
  
Kieko didn't know what Yuuske was planning, but for now at least she didn't care... Whatever happened, Hiei deserved it.  
  
*************************  
  
Kurama sat on the couch, confused. So, Hiei and he... Things were happening so quickly now, Kurama didn't know what to do now... He loved Hiei... Truly, and he hadn't admitted it, not even to himself until now.  
  
He wanted Hiei to come back, he wanted to talk to him, to be close to him... He wanted to be with him now that he know that they felt the same way about each other. Kurama just couldn't understand why Hiei hid his feelings so deep inside of himself. Kurama wanted to share in those feelings...  
  
Hiei stood in the hallway, shocked. So many feelings at once were confusing to him. He didn't even realize until that day when Keiko had said it that he had feelings for Kurama, but now he knew what that feeling was...  
  
He closed his eyes and breathed in deeply, this was all happening at once. He needed time to sort things out, but he already knew that he was in trouble. Kieko would have gone to Yuuske by now, and knowing how Yuuske was... If it came to physical fighting, Hiei could take him, and yet he was still anxious.  
  
His anxiety, he was sure was also do to the confession of Kurama's feelings for him. He had never known that Kurama felt that way before. Hiei didn't know what to say to Kurama, it all seemed to awkward, what was he supposed to do now?  
  
Hiei could tell what Kurama was doing in the other room, he was sitting on the couch, thinking, probably thinking some of the same things that Hiei was. And yet Hiei could not bring himself in there to speak to him. Not yet anyway...  
  
Yuuske stood bent in the middle of the road, panting. He had been running from his house to find Hiei, but now he knew he would have to take a different course. Hiei wasn't thick, not at all, and he would know he was in trouble as soon as Keiko had left to Yuuske's house.  
  
If Yuuske wanted anything to come of this besides his own death, he would have to take Hiei by as much surprise as possible, he would have to invest in a gun...  
  
So Yuuske changed his course to the nearest store that had guns...  
  
Yuuske entered the small store, it smelled moldy and the air was cold inside the shop. He approached the counter with caution, the man at the counter, though it was hard to tell it was a man, had long greasy hair and multiple piercings and tatoos. The man came out of some sort of dream as Yuuske neared the counter,  
  
"Oh, yes, with what may I assist you?" He quickly recited, then remembering his sales pitch, not that he needed it, he added, "Welcome to Arty's Gun Shop, we supply you with all your ammunition needs. From gaming to protection we've got the bast in every selection, we only keep the highest quality weapons in stock."  
  
"Right," Yuuske didn't care what kind of stock they had at Arty's, he wasn't even sure what he needed...  
  
"So, what can I help you with? The name's Joe, you can ask me any questions you may have about buying a new weapon."  
  
"Well, Joe, I don't exactly know what I need. I just need a gun... Can you just sell me one of your cheapest ones?"  
  
"Hell no, sir! What kind of establishment do you think this is? Tell me, what do you plan to be using the gun for? We'll find just the right one for you."  
  
"Uh..." Yuuske was beginning to think that Joe's appearance didn't match his personality at all, far to nosey and talkative to be an appropriate weapon salesman. Yuuske wished he had just gone to Wal-Mart instead to buy a gun. "Uh... I'm going to use my gun for shooting."  
  
Joe laughed, "No kidding? Well if everybody who came in here told me that, I'd never get a thing sold. Really now, what d'ya plan to shoot?"  
  
This was going to take far longer that expected.  
  
**********************  
  
Kurama sat thinking on the couch, everything was so strange, he didn't know what to do and he was getting a headache. He was getting really tired too so he lay down and closed his eyes, soon sleep took him...  
  
"Kurama, come here, what are you doing asleep?"  
  
"Hiei?"  
  
"Come here, Kurama..."  
  
Kurama opened his eyes. He was standing in a field of roses just a few yards opposite of Hiei.  
  
"Hiei, what's going on? Where are we?"  
  
"Come here and I'll tell you anything you want to know."  
  
Kurama stepped forward, as he did so the sky seemed to darken and the clouds grew angry. Kurama took another step, suddenly he had reached the spot where Hiei stood.  
  
"Kurama, I have something for you that I've been wanting to give you for a long time."  
  
"What?" Kurama leaned in close to Hiei, what did he have for him? Then Hiei wrapped his arms around Kurama and kissed him passionately.   
  
Suddenly, Kurama was pulled away from Hiei. He was thrown far out into the field.  
  
"Hiei," he called, "Where are you? I can't see you anymore." For indeed he had been thrust so far from Hiei he could no longer see him.  
  
Then lightning struck and the entire field of roses seemed to be ablaze. Kurama was trapped, all he could see for miles was fire.  
  
"Kurama," said a voice suddenly from above. Kurama looked up to see Hiei floating there holding a hand out to him, "Take my hand, I'll get you away from here."  
  
Kurama reached out a shaking hand to Hiei's. But when their fingers touched all that was in Kurama's grasp was a single blazing long stem rose.  
  
"Hiei!" cried Kurama through raging tears, "Where have you gone? Why have you left me here alone? Hiei!!!" But his cries were no use, thick smoke and dark clouds were forming around him, inside of him. There was no way to turn, his only choice was to succumb to the hellish death witch awaited him.  
  
"Hiei!" He cried once more in vain before he was completely swallowed by the abyss.  
  
Kurama opened his eyes, he was laying on the couch. The room was dark now, no longer bright with the hope and excitement of a new day. Kurama sat up, then he did something else, he stood up. And he could too, for now at least, Kurama could walk.  
  
And walk he did, he was sure that it was bad for his bones that were trying to heal, but what the hell. He walked rather choppily down the hallway, he needed to speak with Hiei. Kurama stood outside Hiei's bedroom, the door was slightly opened so Kurama peered inside.  
  
He couldn't see anything Hiei's room was so dark. Kurama entered the room with caution, searing pain with each step. His eyes were adjusting slightly to the dark, and Kurama could now make out where things were. He spotted the bed, there was an oblong lump laying on it that Kurama presumed to be Hiei.  
  
"Hiei," said Kurama cautiously, "I need to talk to you, wake up."  
  
Hiei made no response.  
  
"Hiei," Kurama tried again, "Hiei?" He said a little louder.  
  
Still Hiei did nothing.  
  
Kurama moved closer to where Hiei lay, he could barely make out his form in the dark. He spoke to Hiei again, but once again Hiei made no notion of hearing. Kurama couldn't see a thing in the dark, so he turned on the light.  
  
When the light came on Kurama immediately wished he had left it off. Hiei lay on the bed amidst a puddle of blood. The blankets on the bed were soaked in crimson and Hiei lay in the middle of it, dead. Dead...   
  
Kurama gave a short cry, then stifled it. He could not panic. He could not morn. He came closer towards Hiei and examined him.   
  
Hiei had gun-shot wounds, and he was a pasty green color. His eyes were rolled back in his head and blood seemed to be everywhere. Kurama could take it no more, he collapsed over Hiei's corpse an wept.   
  
The tears came in an endless stream, he could not think what to do once they stopped, all he could do was lay there helplessly crying.   
  
Finally, when no more tears would come, Kurama sat up, blood now caking his clothes. He sat there next to the bed for what could have been hours, no thoughts traveling through his mind, just bleak emptiness. He could not see the bed in front of him, all he could see was the dark fog of death.  
  
  
  
Kurama opened his eyes, he was on the floor next to Hiei's bed, there was dried blood over everything. He stood up and gazed at Hiei, even now in his state of death Kurama loved him. Kurama lightly placed his hand on Hiei's cheek, then bent down and kissed his forehead.  
  
"Farewell, Hiei," he whispered, "Rest Peacefully." Then Kurama stood up once more and left the room, turning off the light on his way.  
  
He went into the other room and sat on the couch, thinking. His mind that only hours ago could not think was now racing. Who had done this to Hiei?   
  
At first he thought of Kieko, but Kurama knew that even she in her rage was not capable of such a thing. Not entirely at least. Then it came to him, it came to him so clearly it might have been written on the wall in front of him, Yuuske.  
  
Although Kieko was not able to do such a thing to Hiei, Yuuske was. And in Yuuske's rage at learning Kieko's side of the story, which she was sure to bend, he would be sure to seek revenge against Hiei for emotionally damaging Kieko.  
  
No longer did Kurama feel loss, he felt something new, he felt rage. A venomous rage surged throughout Kurama, all he could think to do was to make Yuuske pay for what he had done to Hiei. So up Kurama stood, covered in blood he left Hiei's house, not even bothering to close the door.  
  
***************  
  
Yuuske sat at his kitchen table drinking orange juice. He tried not to think too much right now, it was too hard. Across the table from him sat Kieko, she was eating some cold casserole that Yuuske's mother had made a few days prior.  
  
Yuuske had come back only some hours ago, had taken a shower and then gone to sleep. Kieko did not inquire as to where he had gone. In fact she hadn't spoken more than three words to him since he had left earlier that day.  
  
It was still dark out, still nighttime, but Kieko had come into Yuuske's room a few hours ago and had said that she was lonely, or something along those lines. So now Yuuske sat across the table from her, watching her eat three day old casserole that he was afraid to even touch.  
  
Then the doorbell rang.  
  
Yuuske sprang up to answer it, while Kikeo mumbled something under her breath about how she needed her peace and people shouldn't be calling on others at this time. Yuuske, however, did not care who it was or what time they were calling on him at, he was just dyeing to have some human contact besides Kieko, who was succeeding in acting like a zombie.  
  
Yuuske threw the door open, not bothering to glance through the peep-hole first, and there stood Kurama. He was covered in dry blood and holding some kind of knife.   
  
"Kurama..." Yuuske was frightened, he didn't know what to do or say. He backed away from the doorway slightly, but Kurama only followed him inside.  
  
"Yuuske," Kurama said darkly, "Was it fun? Was it worth it?"  
  
"Wha- what are you doing here?" stammered Yuuske, he was seriously scared now.  
  
"Was it fun to kill him? Was it fun to kill Hiei, Yuuske?"  
  
Yuuske gasped, but that was all. Kurama thrust the knife into Yuuske's throat and twisted it around. Then pulling out the bloody knife and not bothering to watch as Yuuske choked on his own blood and fell to the floor, Kurama left.  
  
***************  
  
Kurama dropped the bloody knife on Yuuske's lawn and continued limping down the street. He didn't think, he barely had his eyes opened. Kurama didn't know where he was going, he had no where to go, so he just kept walking until he got somewhere.  
  
The first place he reached was the beach, it was still dark out when he got there. He went all the way up to the water and sat there in the sand, his mind empty, and his heart shocked at what he had just done.  
  
Now that he had done it, he was no better than Yuuske, but he wouldn't take it back now even if he could... Kurama could see no hope in his future now, he was a murderer and the love he killed for was dead, living now would be a fate worse than death. Now there was only one thing left to do...   
  
The sun was starting to rise, casting a hellish glow across the waves as Kurama stumbled up the steep slope. At the top of the cliff, Kurama gazed over the ledge, it was a far drop down and the waves were crashing vengefully against the base of the cliff.  
  
On the ledge near Kurama stood a lonely rosebush. Kurama picked one of the roses from the bush and held it for a moment, as he turned it about in his hand one of the thorns punctured his skin, even the flower knew his sins. He let the rose fall into the raging waters below, he watched it dance and twirl to it's demise as long as he could before it had gone to far to see. He looked up and stood for a moment in silent remembrance, then with his eyes on the flaming sky and hellish sea, Kurama flung himself from the cliff.  
  
The End 


End file.
